The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Volume 1 eBook

of the Daityas that tiger among men, with a firm resolve
in his heart arrayed his army, abounding in horses
and elephants and cars and infantry. And, O monarch,
immensely swarming with white umbrellas, and pennons,
and white Chamaras, and cars, and elephants, and foot-soldiers,
that mighty army, as it moved like the waters of the
Ganga, looked graceful like the firmament, at a season
when the clouds have dispersed and the signs of autumn
have been but partially developed. And, O foremost
of kings, eulogised like a monarch by the best of
the Brahmanas blessing with victory, that lord of men
Suyodhana, Dhritarashtra’s son, receiving honours
paid with innumerable joined palms, and flaming in
exceeding splendour, went in the front, accompanied
by Karna, and that gambler, the son of Suvala.
And all his brothers with Dussasana at their head,
and Bhurisrava, and Somadatta, and the mighty king
Vahlika, followed that lion among kings on his way,
with cars of various forms, and horses, and the best
of elephants. And, O prime among monarchs, in
a short time, those perpetuators of the Kuru race entered
their own city.”

SECTION CCLI

Janamejaya said, “When the high-souled sons
of Pritha were living in the forest, what did those
foremost of men and mighty archers—­the sons
of Dhritarashtra—­do? And what did
the offspring of the Sun, Karna, and the mighty Sakuni,
and Bhishma, and Drona, and Kripa do? It behoveth
thee to relate this unto me.”

Vaisampayana said, “When, O mighty king, in
this manner the Pandavas had gone, leaving Suyodhana,
and when, having been liberated by Pandu’s sons,
he had come to Hastinapura, Bhishma said these words
to the son of Dhritarashtra, ’O child, I had
told thee before, when thou wert intent upon going
to the hermitage that thy journey did not please me.
But thou didst do so. And as a consequence, O
hero, wert thou forcibly taken captive by the enemy,
and wert delivered by the Pandavas versed in morality.
Yet art thou not ashamed. Even in the presence
of thee, O son of Gandhari, together with thy army,
did the Suta’s son, struck with panic, fly from
the battle of the Gandharvas, O king. And, O foremost
of kings, O son of the monarch! while thou with thy
army wert crying distressfully, thou didst witness
the prowess of the high-souled Pandavas, and also,
O mighty-armed one, of the wicked son of the Suta,
Karna. O best of kings, whether in the science
of arms, or heroism, or morality, Karna, O thou devoted
to virtue, is not a fourth part of the Pandavas.
Therefore, for the welfare of this race, the conclusion
of peace is, I think, desirable with the high-souled
Pandavas.”